Family man murdered in home
The extended Christmas weekend may have brought seasonal cheer to most of the country but there is still grief as three persons lost their lives. Two died by accident, but a man known for spending quality time with his family and for taking them on trips to Disney Land has been murdered. The well-known and respected Santa Elena resident was not killed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time as the saying goes, as he was presumed safe inside his home. On Friday night the family heard noises in their living room and upon making checks, the homeowner was shot. He died upon arriving at La Loma Luz Hospital. News Five’s Andrea Polanco, travelled west to find out more about the Christmas weekend killing.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
On December 23rd, shortly before eleven p.m., three men broke into the home of thirty-four year old, Ultrasound Technician, Sylvan Roberts Jr, to burglarize the family home on San Benito Street in Santa Elena Town. Inside the house at the time were, Diana Roberts, her two daughters and a maintenance worker. The family was stirred by the sounds of breaking glass, and upon making an inquiry, Roberts was fatally shot:
Sylvan Roberts
Asst. Supt. Claudio Mai, Deputy O.C, Western Formation
“Police responded and went to the premises of Mr. Sylvan Roberts, just to find him out in the living room in a pool of blood with a single gun shot wound to the left arm pit. Talking to the wife, Mrs. Roberts, she stated that at about ten-fifty they were in the bedroom, they heard the shattering of glass from the living room. Mr. Roberts came out to investigate about what was happening and it was then that she heard a single gun shot resulting in the fatal injury to her husband.”
Following the murder of Roberts, the armed and masked burglars searched the house and stole a small amount of cash:
Asst. Supt. Claudio Mai
Claudio Mai
“She peeped through the door of the bedroom and it was then that she saw the male dark skinned person, masked, armed with a small handgun coming towards her. He pushed open the door and it was then that she received injuries to her head, likewise. The culprit came in and asked her for jewelries and monies, where she handed over fifty dollars. The culprits went to the kids’ bedroom and that is where they get a piggybank.”
The assailants entered the residence after cutting their way in through this fenced yard on the right corner of the property.
Andrea Polanco
“What’s the point of entry?”
Asst. Supt. Claudio Mai
“The door, the front door, apparently, according to information we have, the door has a small glass on it and that is what they broke open and it was easy to gain access then; you just push your hand and you open the door. All in all, we are looking for three male persons in respect to that incident. Another person that was inside the same house managed to escape and it is the person that sounded the alarm resulted to the neighbor responding to the alarm. The neighbor fired some shots at the culprits, but they managed to escape in the nearby bushes nuh.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
San Ignacio police are looking for two men in connection with the municipal’s latest murder. A minor has been detained. Pathologist, Doctor Hugh Sanchez conducted a postmortem examination on the body. The cause of death has been certified to be exsanguinations due to gunshot injury to left atrium and Broncho aspiration. The photos of the victim and his family were provided courtesy of Star Newspaper which is available at belizenews.com/the star/.
I have a great feelings that they will pay this time for their crime, yes just a gut feeling that they went too far this time !!!!
ARISE PEOPLE, ARISE!!! THEY ARE COMING AT YOU!!! WHO NEXT?
IF YOU THE INNOCENT , THE BUSINESS MEN, THE HOME QUIET MAN DO NOTHING, YOU WILL FALL ONE BY ONE !!! WAKE UP!!! START SHOOTING THEM OR BE KILLED BY THEM!!!
NO WAY AROUND!!! LAY WAIT FOR THEM!!! BUT SHOOT TO KILL JUST AS THEY ARE KILLING YOUR LOVED ONES!!! DEFEND YOURSELF NOW THAT YOU ARE ALIVE, OR BUY YOURSELF A CHEAP CASKET !!!
what is our Jewel coming to they murdered my cousin for $50.00 shame on them and what made it bad in his own home and stole the kids piggy bank DAM how low is that well we the family is praying that Sylvan JR get justice and his life dosen’t go in vain may his soul RIP .we know you are now an ANGEL in heaven looking down on your family you will be missed,with the outpour at his funeral today everyone know he was loved.God let those low life turn themselves Sylvan was someone that help the sick why would someone want to end his life.
Depraved indifference for human life in persuit of MATERIAL GAIN……VERY SAD INDEED.
Hang all murderers enough is enough.
Sylvan Roberts was a great student at Sacred Heart High School. It saddens me to know that his life was taken over nothing. I strongly sugest that the government make it easier for upstanding and decent citizens working hard to provide a better life for their families to be able to obtain a frearm to protect their homes and families. Institute a background check system so that those with no criminal backgrounds can be allowed to own a firearm.
It is only fair since the unregulated criminals have access to weapons they are using on innocent citizens who have a right to defend themselves.
If a person is old enough to kill another just to rob him, then just hang him; these piece of boys usually get away with murder because they dont have the legal age, I think they need to be hung, if the government wants to do something about crime, thats what it should do, if human rights gets into it, let them take all these murderers wherever caz in Belize we dont need them.
So sad , so very sad what these *&(&^&**%% dumb a&%ses are doing to our GOOD people.
Even the kid`s piggy bank! what a shame to steal away the dream of the kids. That kid had a dream just as Mr. Sylvan had, now that dream is shattered by fools. That child may think to himself, what is the use of me trying so hard in school, to study so hard to be someone, if I will be killed at a later date for my achievements?
Let us see what the law will do now.
We are looking at you, San Ignacio policemen.We are NOT happy with this one, no, not this one!
This happened thanks to barrow and boots crimminal relocation program they took the scum off the streets of the city and sent them out district to live so they can recruit others, maybe the people of cayo need to take the lynch mob to boots and his thugs.
Joe if good people start owning weapons this is how the illegal guns make it to the streets. Bear in mind that never start out being “illegal”. Citizens make legal purchases of weapons and they end up in the wrong hand, furthermore many children and adults are hurt inside homes where weapons are present. When a thief is in your home or place of business he will not stand around while you go get your weapons and return. The point I am trying to make is weapons in the home hardly ever is of any good. How many legal gun owners don’t kill their whole family and then turn the gun on themselves?
If we had better policing and procecution this would be an answer to the sensless killings, but even so there still would be those in our society that will break every rule. This is a sad case and I wish these killers are brought to some form of justice.
Such a sad incident, but what are the police doing about all this? There have been a number of home invasions down west, what are the police doing??? they need to start doing their job!!!
jeez this is the worst case to end the 2011, hope the san ignacio police do arrest this s.o.bs that killed this father, not a family of mines but it really irrate to see the extend of crime they are reaching, home invasion sounds so movie style but it really is a concern for every belizean to think what do we want to do with this scums. Should we ask for a referendum to make it a return for hanging or should we start taking things into our hands. go.v please make sure this doesn’t goes under your mat cause we’re getting fed up with this crimes going null in court.
R.I.P my Belizean bro, this community will forever miss you but we’ll never forget you. Hoping that the Lord watches your love ones that stay with us and they can recover over this trauma. condolence to the wife and the kids.
I will never forget Sylvan, I worked at La Loma LOZ for two years, in all my times working there I have nevre seen Slyvan with a frown on his face or seen him angry or unhappy he had such a sunny dispossition, was realy a joy to work with him. And later to take family members for ultra sounds.We will all; miss him ,there will always be a void in our lives, but joy because we know we will see him again in heaven. We pray that those responsible for his death be caught and duelly persciuted.
Sad, sad story. My condolences to Mrs. Roberts and all of the other family and friends of Mr. Roberts…I will keep you all in my prayers and hope the killer or killers are found….one way or the other if court justice don’t get them, street justice will and justice….karma!!
its waste of time to even charge these youths man. the system is not working and the pm dont have time to amend the constitution to benefit but time and money to spend to amend the constitution for self profit and gain. its clear to see that the pm and his gang does not care for what is happening to the poor and hard working citizen of this country. IF WE HAD JUSTICE AND s STRONG AND EFFECTIVE FORM OF PERSECUTION i am sure at the end of the day criminals would think twice before committing a crime. but no. justice dont exists in our country anymore, if it ever did. they know that committing a crime such as killing its just a few months in the pen (vacation) and then out again. so criminals know that the system is weak – witnesses wont say a word and police lack the proper training to do proper investigation that can lead to a persecution.
THE BEST JUSTICE IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE STREET JUSTICE AND THATS WHAT WE NEED IN OUR COUNTRY. WE ONLY NEED TO DEAL WITH A FEW OF THEM AND THE OTHERS WILL GET THE MESSAGE…….
COME ON WORTHLESS BELIZE POLICE DEPARTMENT…WE THE PEOPLE ARE PAYING YOUR SALARY, SO DO YOU DAMN JOB!!
There are not enough words in the universe to adequately express the sorrow, frustration and anger that are in my heart right now. Truly, you could not have met a finer couple… loving, great parents, kind, honest, hard-working, friendly and truly a joy to get to know. What has Belize come to? Where are the laws that protect the victims and the innocent? Where are our government elected who work so hard at election time to convince us all that they are going to stand up for Belize and make it a better place for all? Where are the parents of these thugs? What happened to respect and values and earning ones way in life and working at an honest job? Well, one thing I DO remember is “an eye for an eye”. It is long overdue that the good and honest people of this country stand up together and DEMAND that the criminals be caught! DEMAND that they be held accountable. DEMAND that they are either executed. Hung. Shot. WHATEVER!!! I used to love walking around this beautiful country of ours. Now, I lock myself down day and night. I do not feel safe here any longer. And I am NOT alone. We the people need to start taking responsibility. Time to be realistic and face the facts. WE ARE NOT SAFE IN OUR OWN HOMES ANY MORE. Our “jewel” of a country is getting badly stained!
The police are not the problem, witnisses, the prosecution and the judges who demand world class evidence in a poor country are the problem. I think it may be time to hire a hitman and take care of the scum bags. Everyone in Cayo knows who they are.
Lawlessness has become a norm in the Jewel.Our leaders need to let these scumbags know that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.Death penalty please and to hell with the Human Rights.
blame all this on the P.M, he is barely working along with the police, all these crimes are happening, and he still wont give the youths more jobs, have more police intakes instead of one every year, we need the man power and you are logging behind like hog balls….wake up star, change or amend these laws, make the penalty more stiffer, hand the murderers, we are here feeling the pinch, while you stay at home having a fine time.this is the reason why i dont even bother to vote.
So sad to hear. God bless Mr. Roberts and his family.
Implement the death penalty for Murderers and offenders of other heinous crimes. Heinous should be determined by a jury of Belizean citizens not one judge! Hang ’em high!
Maybe Barrow should hold private meetings with more gang leaders?????
Wrong house…
I am not from Belize so perhaps my opinion is
not widely shared. But it sounds to me as if the
Hangman needs to pay a visit. It won’t take him
long to conduct his business.
Tom
There are no killings in Saudia Arabia, they do not tolorate this kind of nonsense. I agree with Rod, “HANG THEM HIGH”.
Enact the DEATH PENALTY NOW!!!! FIRE and CLEAN HOUSE in the POLICE DEPARTMENT and corrupt POLITICIANS….
Enact the DEATH PENALTY NOW!!!! FIRE and CLEAN HOUSE in the POLICE DEPARTMENT and corrupt POLITICIANS….folks like Asst. Supt. CLAUDIO MAI NEEDS TO BE GONE, sitting there getting FAT and watching TV.
Enact the DEATH SQUAD…clean the streets from 2400 – 0500 hours followed by a Meat Wagon and a Water Sprayer Truck. Curfew from 10:00pm – 0600am….ALL business activities, including fisheries and markets open at 0700am.
There was not one ounce of Sylvan that was not GOOD. May he rest in peace. And may his family be cared for and protected by their neighbors.